Water Taxi celebrates Transit For the Win with special ‘Thank You’ to riders

Last week, King County Water Taxi partnered with Commute Seattle and several local businesses to give a special “Thank You” to nearly 200 of those riders as part of a celebration called Transit For the Win.

The scene: a packed 8:15 a.m. sailing out of Vashon Island, a community that’s heavy with commuters. As riders settled in and began chatting, playing cribbage and checking their phones, a voice blared on the vessel’s speaker system.

“Good morning Vashon riders! We want to THANK YOU for riding the Water Taxi. Our economy couldn’t move without you!”

Immediately, green-jacketed volunteers with Commute Seattle began handing envelopes and bags to each and every rider. Inside were cards inscribed with the words “Thank You,” along with a Starbucks gift card or Zillow-branded tumbler. Some riders also received backpacks stocked with earthquake preparedness supplies donated by Puget Sound Energy.

The four luckiest riders found “Golden Tickets” in their envelopes, signaling they had won one of four grand prizes:

A tour of The Boeing Company’s Everett plant for five people

A tour and lunch at Puget Sound Energy’s Wild Horse wind farm in Ellensburg for eight people

Two tickets for a Chateau Ste. Michelle outdoor concert

A trio of three bikes courtesy of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Bike Works

It was all captured by a KOMO news camera crew. And when the Golden Ticket winners were announced, their fellow riders gave them a rousing applause.

Gliding on beautiful Puget Sound, winning a great prize and getting an ovation – not a bad way to start your morning commute, in our honest opinion.

Transit For the Win is part of Ride Transit Month, which is a celebration of transit riders in Washington state where riders can register their trips and compete for prizes. Throughout the day, Commute Seattle, local transit agencies and area businesses surprised riders throughout King County as they rode on Metro bus routes, a Sounder train and Seattle streetcars.

We want to thank everyone who made this day possible.

And once again to our riders who use the King County Water Taxi – THANK YOU for riding!